Flow control can be used to enhance lift performance by using a fluidic source such as bleed air from an engine or a special purpose compressor. Airflow from the fluidic source is ejected out of an aircraft from across a top of wings or flaps in a general stream-wise direction. The ejected airflow imparts momentum into an air stream flow over the wings or flaps. This momentum causes the air stream flow to better follow a surface of the wing or flaps. Consequently, circulation increases around an entire wing comprising the wing or flaps, and higher lift is obtained.
However, current methods of airflow control require substantial amounts of ejected airflow to achieve meaningful design targets. Aircraft engines can be used to supply air for actuation by “bleeding” compressed air from inside the engine, but design targets require a substantial amount of bleed air. The use of engine bleed air impacts a size and efficiency of the aircraft engines. The larger the bleed air requirement, the larger and heavier the aircraft engines need to be. Larger and heavier aircraft engines lead to an increase in aircraft gross weight and aircraft engine cost. In addition, bleed requirements reduce efficiency of the aircraft engines. Alternatively, a separate air compressor can also be used in conjunction with a duct delivery system to supply the air for actuation. However, the addition of separate air compressors also leads to additional weight.